This commentary is by state Sens. Brian Campion, D-Bennington, and Richard Westman, R-Lamoille.
The future of public higher education in Vermont is bright. We do have challenges but we believe the Vermont State Colleges System will thrive.
We’ve come a long way in the last few years, but to get to where we need to go, we need to be clear, direct and transparent. Surprises aren’t helpful. We need to work together and listen to each other. And first and foremost, we need to remain positive about the future if we intend to attract students and faculty to our institutions.
To finish the path we’ve laid out for ourselves, it’s going to take honest, positive engagement. It goes without saying that the students, faculty and the administration need to work together. Moving ahead positively is also going to take continued support from the state. Our local stakeholders need to be involved and heard, including local employers and community leaders.
Just three years ago, we all were shocked by a proposal to shutter three campuses of the state college system. The Legislature stepped in, forbade the campus closures, provided emergency financial aid to the colleges, and crafted a five-year transformation plan. We’ve provided aid to the system, campuses, and to students totaling more than $200 million.
In concert, a five-year plan was developed by stakeholders with community input designed to move the system toward sustainability. The plan requires change. It requires the system not only to look at its financial stability, but also expects the system to be forward-looking. It expects the system to be competitive with other higher education institutions, both in-state and out.
The status quo isn’t an option. Change is a must to make the system more relevant to the students that we’re serving and trying to attract.
The Vermont State Colleges — Castleton University, Community College of Vermont, Northern Vermont University, and Vermont Technical College — agreed to this plan. They are undergoing a complete modernization and transformation. They must overhaul the finances of the system, remodel and update the academic offerings, streamline college operations, and find efficiencies at every turn.
The next major step is a launch of “Vermont State University” this summer and continuing to trim system operations and infrastructure over the next several years, including $25 million of reductions over five years. This effort will ensure the new Vermont State University offers generations of Vermonters affordable, accessible education.
That said, the announcement that libraries would be closed at campuses and that NCAA sports programs would be dropped by the Vermont State Colleges administration came as a surprise.
Then-Chancellor Spaulding’s proposal from three years ago to close campuses is still fresh in the minds of many on the campuses at Lyndon, Johnson, Randolph and Castleton. For many, the recent library closure announcement, coupled with the dropping of NCAA sports programs at campuses, brought back the apprehension that existed then.
The Vermont State Colleges System is in a much better place today than it was three years ago. We have an agreed-upon overall plan for the system. The state has increased base annual funding, eliminated deficits and helped fund the system’s transformation. The system has even lowered tuition, dropping tuition below many other public higher education institutions in the region.
What hasn’t worked well with these recent announcements is communication. Everyone is working hard to serve students better and to make this transformation a success, but when Vermonters feel like they aren’t being heard, it doesn’t help the process.
It’s important for everyone to know how to engage in the transformation process. We need a positive outlook on our campuses. Negativity never draws students.
No one is talking about campuses closing. Let’s focus on the positive work we’ve done and continue to work together on the transformation. Positive approaches and inclusivity are needed. We’ve all invested too much to not get this right. This will be a success if we work together.
